American Literature & Composition is a survey literature and writing course that explores canonical works of American literature through the lens of both being image-bearers of Christ and recognizing others as image-bearers. The course will examine a variety of poems, short stories, essays, and novels. Students will focus on developing composition skills to develop their writing at the high school level and prepare them for future courses. Students will learn to think critically about the texts they read, form cogent arguments and observations with textual evidence, and articulate interpretive conclusions. This course will equip students to analyze, synthesize, evaluate, and compare texts through lectures, discussions, reading, writing, and presentations. A Biblical worldview will be at the foundation of the course and will inform how we approach each and every work. Students will be expected to perform at the 10th-12th-grade high school level; therefore, they should demonstrate diligence in all coursework, reading, and discussion. Participation and attendance will be imperative to understanding the literature and assignments covered in this course. Students will write a minimum of four major essays.
The following textbooks and supplies are to be purchased by parents.
Under Class Details, see Class Attachment for a picture of the textbook.
Textbooks and Supplies:
Books:
Holy Bible
The American Experience
Prentice Hall Literature
ISBN: 0131317199
ISBN13: 9780131317192
The Scarlet Letter
By Nathaniel Hawthorne
Penguin Classics
ISBN: 0143107666
ISBN-13: 978-0143107668
The Great Gatsby
By F. Scott Fitzgerald
Norton Critical Edition
ISBN: 0393656594
ISBN-13: 978-0393656596
Another novel TBD
Supplies:
Pencil and black or blue pen
Red pen
Highlighter
Loose-leaf paper
Stapler
3-ring binder and dividers
Successful completion of KEYS HS English I and/or II or by permission of the instructor. If students are NOT CURRENTLY ENROLLED in a KEYS Math or English class, we require Placement Evaluations to be sure they are placed at the best level to help them be successful in the coming year. Please contact the office to schedule an evaluation prior to class selection.
Parents are responsible for purchasing all textbooks and supplies before the first day of class.
KEYS will invoice supply fees at the time of registration and class selection. This fee covers materials, lab supplies, and other expenses incurred by the teacher. It is a one-time fee, transferable until August, but non-refundable.
Please note the grade level for this class. Students younger than the recommended grade levels need special permission before signing up for the class. Please contact the office for more information.
What happens if a class is full? You may email administration@keysofva.org to be waitlisted.
